Retired England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was a prodigal talent, once seen as the better player when matched up against a young Cristiano Ronaldo. 

The last street footballer, he’s now the manager of Derby County, as his career burned out by the time he reached 30 due to the sheer number of games Rooney played since he was a teenager. 

Here’s a roundup with five of the best Wayne Rooney cards on the market, as well as investment advice assuming you’re holding them for the medium term.

The Best Wayne Rooney Cards

We’ve listed some of the greatest Wayne Rooney cards below, focusing on his time with Everton, Manchester United, and England. 

5. 2006 Panini World Cup Germany Wayne Rooney #98

We’ll start off with Rooney’s 2006 World Cup card, which was his first appearance at the biggest tournament in world football.

Rooney never lived up to his promise in an England shirt, but the former captain is still fondly remembered after scoring 53 goals in 119 appearances for the Three Lions.

One interesting note is that Rooney is wearing a plain kit in the image, with no England/Man Utd logos to be found. 

It’s wrapped in silver chrome, and there are only 17 PSA 10 copies according to their registry. 

4. 2020-21 Panini Prizm Premier League Wayne Rooney #S-WR

Next up is a recent release from 2020-21 Panini Prizm Premier League sets. It features an action shot of the forward while he played for Manchester United, with a stickered auto found at the base of the card. 

Rooney won it all with the Red Devils, including five Premier League titles and the 2007-08 Champions League.

Graded versions of the rarer parallels are still pretty affordable, and must be tempting for any MUFC supporters. 

Parallels: Purple Prizms – #/99, Silver Prizms – #/25, Gold Prizms – #/10, Black Prizms – 1/1 

FOTL Prizms: Blue Shimmer Prizms, Choice Prizms, Base Choice Prizms, Gold Prizms – #/10, Black Prizms – 1/1 

Breakaway H2 Prizms: Base Breakaway – #/100, Gold Prizms – #/10 Black Prizms – 1/1

3. 2021 Impeccable All-Time Legends Wayne Rooney #ATWR

2020-21 Panini Impeccable Premier League Soccer offered eight premium cards per Hobby box, with hits including this autographed Rooney edition with a base version limited to 99 copies. 

It’s another stickered auto with a vivid action shot of the former United captain, and there’s a further five parallels which are sure to be valued highly if graded. 

Parallels: Silver #/49, Ruby #/35, Gold #/10, Emerald #/5, Platinum 1/1

2. 2003 Magic Box International Shoot Out Wayne Rooney RC

The 2003 ‘Shoot Out’ trading card game wasn’t especially popular, with a checklist of 360 unnumbered cards that included a young Wayne Rooney. 

Of course, Rooney burst into the scene as a teenager for Everton, making his professional debut for the club in 2002 at the age of 16.

This rookie card is a cheaper option compared to the Topps release seen below, which makes sense due to the slightly amateurish design. However, it’s still a piece of history for Rooney fans, as he was arguably never better than his teenage years. 

1. 2003 Topps Premier Gold Wayne Rooney #E3

A classier RC is found in the form of this 2003 Topps Premier Gold release. One of four Everton players selected from a 95-card checklist, it shows the youngster as he cuts an imposing figure in a full-bleed action shot. 

There aren’t many graded versions on the market, but it could be a decent future hold depending on the quality of his managerial career. It’s also worth mentioning that it’s coming up to its 20th birthday, so it’s tough to find in mint condition. 

Wayne Rooney Cards: Buyers Guide 

Rooney might not have lived up to his early promise in the latter stages of his career, but anyone who saw him play knows that he had ridiculous talent in his prime. Here’s a buyer’s guide for the England legend. 

The Best Cheap Wayne Rooney Cards

Either of Rooney’s RCs are relatively cheap, and should be seen as a valid long-term piece to hold. 

Even his signed cards are somewhat affordable, as long as you’re looking at base copies with stickered autos. 

The Best Wayne Rooney Investment Card

We prefer the 2003 Topps Premier Gold RC above all, as it offers a perfect mix of style and prestige. It’s also affordable, and there isn’t a massive glut of graded versions on the market. 

Wayne Rooney Cards: Buying/Selling Advice 

Rooney will always be seen as a legend of the game, and one who made the Ballon d’Or shortlist three times as he adapted his game to feature as an attacking midfielder in later years. 

Unfortunately, his England team struggled to match up to their reputation as a ‘Golden Generation’, while his prime was far shorter than fans would have hoped. 

He made the decision to retire in November 2020 after realising it was “impossible” to juggle both roles as player-coach for Derby County. 

We think that his cards have great potential, especially as a former Man United captain that can tap into their massive worldwide fanbase. 

We would hold for now if possible, and wait to see what the market is looking like in a few years if the team manages to claw their way back into contention for the Premier League title.